New ‘The Matrix’ Movie Won’t Be a Remake, Zak Penn Assures Fans

News of a new The Matrix movie sparked fans' concerns that a(n unnecessary) remake was on the way — but the screenwriter attached to the project calls reports that it's a remake or reboot "inaccurate."

The Hollywood Reporter first broke the story that Warner Bros. was "developing a relaunch" of the hit 1999 sci-fi movie starring Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. The duo who wrote and directed the original, Lana and Lilly Wachowski (then known as the Wachowski Brothers), who currently make Netflix series Sense8, are not currently involved. Zak Penn, who wrote the scripts for 2005's X-Men: The Last Stand and 2008's The Incredible Hulk, shared what he could about the relaunch on Twitter.

"All I can say at this point is no one could or should REBOOT the Matrix. People who know Animatrix and the comics understand," Penn wrote, referring to the 2003 collection of animated shorts made as an expansion of the franchise.

"Can't comment yet except to say that the words "reboot" and "remake" were from an article. Let's stop responding to inaccurate news," he continued. "If I were going to recast Keanu Reeves, I would cast Keanu Reeves."

THR reported that Warner Bros. was "interested" in casting Creed star Michael B. Jordan in the new film.

Echoing the sentiments of vocal Matrix fans, Penn wrote, "How about just re-release the matrix? Don't reboot it, you can't do better."

"Do I want to see more stories set in the universe of the matrix?" he went on. "Yes. Because it's a brilliant idea that generates great stories."

Penn also joked that he's also "working on the reboot of Ready Player One," the in-production adaptation of Ernest Cline's sci-fi novel which Penn wrote the screenplay for, "to be released concurrently with the original." He compared the idea of a new Matrix movie to the preponderance of X-Men spinoffs like Logan and TV series Legion (Star Wars has also spawned numerous sequels, spinoffs and animated series since 1977' e A New Hope).

So will the new Matrix movie instead be a prequel? We'll have to wait and see.